SoundExchange pays $117.5 million in 1Q

SoundExchange distributed $117.5 million to music creators in the first quarter of 2013, a 10 percent improvement on last year and the largest first quarter distribution the performance rights organization has paid since its 2010 launch.

SoundExchange collects royalties from more than 2,000 digital music services including satellite and internet radio and cable television music channels.

“Our first quarter numbers show that this digital radio revenue stream is continuing to grow. We are pleased to see 2013 off to an incredible start for the creators of music,” SoundExchange President Michael Huppe said in a statement. “We are committed to making sure recording artists and record labels receive the compensation they rightfully deserve and we are proud to help facilitate this growth that helps move the music and creative community forward.”

The nonprofit distributed $462 million to recording artists and labels in 2012 and has paid $1.5 billion in royalties to music creators overall.